Glass 101

[mvapes]

Only if y

Hopefully I am posting this in the appropriate thread...

I am new to all the glass methods for dabbing and just received my first quartz nail. It was only $17 from ebay, Dab Philosophy.

Is there a way to tell if its true quartz? I've seen videos where they heat it up then dunk it in water to see if it cracks. Is this a recommended way of testing if it's true quartz?

Only if you want to waste your investment.

Here's the deal, we all know quartz is better, right? But why? Is it healthier?

Nay, it's stronger. There's no difference as far as health risks, flavor deterioration, or anything else aside from strength.

Don't worry brotha - chances are it's chinese quartz, or at worst glass. Either way enjoy it while you can, cause for 17 bucks, she probably wont be around for long.

To answer the rest of your question, here's how I test my bangers and buckets.

I torch it until it glows, than using a timer I let the fucker cool for 60 seconds. If I drop a dab and she's still nice and hot it's most likely quartz. If it's too cold to vaporize your erl, she's boro.

I hope I helped a bit. If you have any questions feel free to reach out.

 

[flotntoke]

So, here is a question that has me a little confused. If there is a US standard for the dimensions of a male 19mm joint (19/22) and an "international" or ISO standard for a 19mm joint (19/26), why is most of the glass coming out of china using the US standard? With the exception of one bowl, and my 3way (which is labeled and likely european), every male jointed adapter I have from china (about 8 in all) is the US 19/22.
I have no water pieces with a male joint. Can someone check a couple of theirs to see which standard they are using?

Don't know for certain, but would guess because they are producing primarily for the US market. Shipping issues aside (seems much more expensive to ship anywhere other than US - except Asia I'd guess), there is much more of a market here. And, think in general Americans are going to buy more pieces each person.

 

[little maggie]

I read through the thread which is incredibly helpful. I may have missed this but can someone explain what a frit is?

 

[FlyingLow]

A frit is a type of perc with extremely high diffusion. Think a billion tiny bubbles.

 

[skiddaz]

This is an awesome thread and thoroughly explains the various terms related to glass. However, I'm looking for an even more basic understanding what the benefits of using glass are, a true introductory course to glass. Not even a cursory search on Google brings up any information on this.

I can see the following being benefits of using glass.

* reduced vape temperatures
* improved taste with an all glass airway (as opposed to rubber)
* improved airflow

It would be great to get an understanding of the benefits of using glass and water pipes, and what types of glass provide those benefits (e.g. for improved airflow use this type of glass). Perhaps someone can add this information to the OP of this thread or create a new sticky thread as I imagine this would be invaluable for those new to glass. Thanks!

 

[Frederick McGuire]

I'm not quite sure exactly the info you'd like, but I'll try

The main point of this thread was to explain the use of a bong/bubbler, and accompanying terminology for relative newbies to bongs, not really to discuss the concept of glass itself.

Glass as a material in vapes is a bit beyond the scope of this thread.

I'm not sure how reduced temperatures factor in.
You can set just about any vape made out of any materials to any temperature and then hook it up to a bong.

Some people like low temp, some like higher temp, glass doesn't really factor in to that Imo...

Generally I find people use slightly higher temps when using a water pipe, as it smooths out the harshness of the hit and allows you to go a bit further than hitting it dry.

No water pipe is going to improve the taste of vapor, unless you've got a very bad tasting strain, and a bong that diffuses a lot of the flavour away.

The main reason glass is used in the air path of vapes is that it's a relatively cheap and easy to work with material that's inert and won't add any of its own flavour to things.

Not sure what rubber has to do with things?

Also don't really see how airflow would be improved.
Airflow will be determined by the size of openings in the vape, and the design of the bong, but the materials those items are made of shouldn't really affect the airflow at all as far as I can tell.

 

[skiddaz]

I'm not quite sure exactly the info you'd like, but I'll try

Yeah, I'm just looking to understand why people buy these fancy glass pipes/bubblers/bongs/fixtures in the first place. They must serve some purpose other than looks alone (hence the question of trying to understand the benefits of using glass). For instance, I plan to buy an Herbalizer desktop vape and it comes with a rubber whip and bag system. But I notice a lot of people purchase after market glass pipes to use instead of the rubber whip. Why?

 

[cybrguy]

I'll take a stab at it. As I see it there are 2 major reasons to use glass or glass and water with your vape. The first is to condition your hit by cooling and/or humidifying it. The second is what I refer to as "the cool factor". Vapor doesn't need cooling or conditioning anywhere near as much as combusting does. It is already cooler and less harsh as there are few particulates in it and it isn't created my the 1500 degree F (match temp) combustion but rather by evaporating MJs active ingredients WELL below combustion temps, between 250 and 500 degrees. So, people with sensitive throats or lungs may still need temp reduction but will by its nature get less irritation than smoking would produce.
The exotic designs of glass are an art form and a highly skilled one. A simple glass or plastic bottle or vial might be all that is necessary to get the cooling and humidifying. Witness the creations made in dorm rooms for decades. But glass as art is a different thing entirely and while different percs and shapes may make a difference to how well the principle goals (cooling and humidifying) are reached, the art form itself is a goal in itself and leads to some incredibly beautiful functional art.

So, that is MY OPINION on why. I'm sure there are other different ones.

Temps are approx.

 

[Frederick McGuire]

Well, the main reason for a bong/water pipe In general is to filter the vapor.

As the vapor is passed through the water, the water acts as a filter, and changes the characteristics of the vapor.

They will primarily cool and moisten the vapor.

Some people use warm water in their bongs to get more of the moisturizing effect, some use cold water or ice to get more of the cooling effect.

Those point are regardless of the method of attaching your vape - many people just stick the whip into the inlet of their bong - so they still use the whip.

I believe Generally the whip is made of silicone or vinyl, not rubber.
Glass is far easier to clean than a whip.
So some people look for an all glass mouthpiece.

A bong is just a version of an all glass mouthpiece that also has water filtration.

 

[FlyingLow]

This is kinda a derailment and might use its own thread...

I can see the following being benefits of using glass.

* reduced vape temperatures
* improved taste with an all glass airway (as opposed to rubber)
* improved airflow

It would be great to get an understanding of the benefits of using glass and water pipes, and what types of glass provide those benefits (e.g. for improved airflow use this type of glass). Perhaps someone can add this information to the OP of this thread or create a new sticky thread as I imagine this would be invaluable for those new to glass. Thanks!

I see where you are going, but IMO your starting with assumptions that may or may not be true.
I think your foundation is based on your smoking experiences and as others have noted, vaping is just not the same.

I am NOT certain you improve the taste with glass as a vaporist (perhaps as a smoker).

Some counter examples: my all-metal Lotus stem and wooden cap provides some of the most flavorful vape sessions I have ever had. It is not as consistent/reliable/always-on like my Nano (as Lotus is a fully manual vape), but the flavor is IMO much better than a Nano with glass stem.

Another counter example could be the S&B Plenty. Plenty uses a metal coil whip with stainless chamber and screens, and plastic casings. It does an amazing job of cooling the vapor and retaining great flavor. Moreover, if your screens and pad is clean then it is a extremely low resistance draw with great airflow going over the wide and flat chamber. No glass in here at all.



You just got to experiment and find what you like, but I think the bullet points you listed about glass above could be flipped to describe any well designed vape, not just attributes of glass only.


I think people buy for three reasons: Function (cooling vapor/dabs), Art (aesthetic appeal), and Science (aesthetic & function combined)

I could extrapolate on Function, Art, and Science for pages, but I have gone on enough.

 

[skiddaz]

I'll take a stab at it.

Well, the main reason for a bong/water pipe In general is to filter the vapor.

Thanks guys. That's exactly the sort of information, a newbie to the use of glass in vaporizers, was after. When I listed those 3 possible benefits, I was merely taking educated guesses at what might they could be. This is very helpful. And I agree that it is an art and worthy of being used merely for the aesthetics.

 

[Jaindoh]

For me, I always vaporize through a waterpipe. I've got shoulder issues and bronchitis; smoking, and to a lesser extent, dry vaping (with what I have available, a Solo) cause me to cough, very very bad. Like, every hit would give me a huge coughing fit, and before long my shoulders are hurting severely from the coughing.
Sub-optimal is the least I can say about that.

The water causes the vapor to condense, giving me larger hits -- though I have to build them -- and I very rarely cough at all. It's nice to get good rushes from big hits of vapor, instead of coming up slowly from sipping on vapor over a longer period of time.

 

[Vessel]

How can I properly clean my hydratube? I have the old school shower cap with ice notches. I have what looks like a lite film of salt that's built up in certain spots (specifically were the two halves meet), I've previously used salt and ISO, though I think it's the salt that's left this film as I have mostly used purified water for the hydra tube. Now I usually will put some ISO in there and shake it around, I normally don't leave it over night to soak but am thinking of doing that. After washing it out I put a small amount of dish soap and carefully shake and rinse that out thoroughly.

Any advice or tips?

 

[cybrguy]

PBW

God I hate the search tools on this site...

http://fuckcombustion.com/threads/pbw-the-chemistry-of-clean.7854/

 

[cybrguy]

looks like a lite film of salt that's built up in certain spots

Sorry about the double post but my time expired.

If this could be minerals (lime) from hard water than try some vinegar before the PBW.

 

[LBsEveryday]

Has anyone any experience with black market glass? They have a lot here at a local headshop and the octagonal and hexagonal bases look extremely attractive in person for some reason. I was wondering if these would be a good low-drag bong for vaping through(function video look good)
Some models were around 100 bucks for an 11 hole disc perc, and the other 150-200 for a net perc?

http://dankstop.com/top-sellers/black-market-glass-stemless-bent-neck-diffused-water-pipe/

http://dankstop.com/glass-water-pipes/black-market-glass-stemless-net-perc-grenade-water-pipe/

 

[Enchantre]

Has anyone any experience with black market glass? They have a lot here at a local headshop and the octagonal and hexagonal bases look extremely attractive in person for some reason. I was wondering if these would be a good low-drag bong for vaping through(function video look good)
Some models were around 100 bucks for an 11 hole disc perc, and the other 150-200 for a net perc?

http://dankstop.com/top-sellers/black-market-glass-stemless-bent-neck-diffused-water-pipe/

http://dankstop.com/glass-water-pipes/black-market-glass-stemless-net-perc-grenade-water-pipe/

I have that first piece, the bent neck. I love it. I have a video of it on here a page back I think.

There it is, with my 710 whip on it. Yes, I think it is an excellent value, and the perk is just right for me.

 

[mvapes]

How can I properly clean my hydratube? I have the old school shower cap with ice notches. I have what looks like a lite film of salt that's built up in certain spots (specifically were the two halves meet), I've previously used salt and ISO, though I think it's the salt that's left this film as I have mostly used purified water for the hydra tube. Now I usually will put some ISO in there and shake it around, I normally don't leave it over night to soak but am thinking of doing that. After washing it out I put a small amount of dish soap and carefully shake and rinse that out thoroughly.

Any advice or tips?

The only thing that would touch my glass. Most high end glass workers would recommend it highly.

http://www.amazon.com/Alconox-Deter...e=UTF8&qid=1443836521&sr=8-1&keywords=alconox

 

[LBsEveryday]

Wow I'm surprised I've never heard of this, this is like a glass keepers hidden secret !Thank you @mvapes

 

[mvapes]

Yeah, I'm just looking to understand why people buy these fancy glass pipes/bubblers/bongs/fixtures in the first place. They must serve some purpose other than looks alone (hence the question of trying to understand the benefits of using glass). For instance, I plan to buy an Herbalizer desktop vape and it comes with a rubber whip and bag system. But I notice a lot of people purchase after market glass pipes to use instead of the rubber whip. Why?

I don't really know the answer to that anymore. Yeah I could say I like water pipes for the filtration, or to smooth out the pull, or even for moisture but in reality, I feel like I'd be full of shit. lol

Don't get me wrong, I fucking love using glass and most of the key points for using it are quite true. But it stops there! Glass is FUCKING addicting, for me at least. Once I had one I needed a second, then a third, and then one for each type of vape lol. Now, in hind sight, I can totally understand my credit score.
I think everyone should have a couple pieces of glass, it adds a very different experience, especially with vapes and oils. I'm just saying, now a days, I'm happier with a few heady rigs and I'm good to go. Funny shit is, most of my stuff is 1 and 2 hole and at one time it was all about the pretty little bubbles lol.

Good luck on your glass quest, I pray for your wallet.

 

[jl420]

Mvapes I agree I love buying different glass. One rig is perfect for my Quartz wand while I use my domeless Quartz nails on my 2nd rig. I've been buying different style bangers (11 and counting) with an assortment of carb caps. I currently own 4 rigs 1 nectar collector and a shit load of accessories. I know this pales in comparison to some people in the FC community but it's a 'hobby' I enjoy and will never outgrow as long as my money doesn't run out....

 

[farscaper]

sorry im not sure where this belongs posted... but since this is 101 I figure a little glass history is ok right?

circa 1800 "leech jar"

doing perks before perks were perks.

 

[jrcmang]

Not sure if this is the right place but I thought I would try here....

I have been working on getting my first small sidecar bubbler rig super clean. There was a stain on the bottom that I was having trouble getting out. Well I ended up trying pbw and alconox and was still having issues with the stain plus I was seeing some white film forming along the base and the slits on the stem. What I think was caused from too much pbw or alconox I originally used. Anyways after multiple light pbw washes to try and address the white film, my wife recommended vinegar for the stains. After a little vaping last night, I had the bright idea of putting the bubbler in the microwave with the vinegar in it. I microwaved for about 45 seconds until the vinegar started bubbling up. I get it out of the microwave and I swear that my downstem is now deformed. Could the heat from the microwave alone do that to it? Or could it be something in the colored glass that reacted with the microwave? Just wanted to see if it is possible that microwaving vinegar in my piece could have deformed the stem? Or was I just really vaked and never noticed how the stem was deformed before...lol.

Anyways, like I said this was my first rig I bought about two years ago. It wasn't expensive and the 18 mm joint has a small crack in it so this really isn't much of a loss. Not expensive heady glass at all. Just wanted to get some peoples opinion who are more knowledgeable about the subject than I am.

 

[flotntoke]

Not sure if this is the right place but I thought I would try here....

I have been working on getting my first small sidecar bubbler rig super clean. There was a stain on the bottom that I was having trouble getting out. Well I ended up trying pbw and alconox and was still having issues with the stain plus I was seeing some white film forming along the base and the slits on the stem. What I think was caused from too much pbw or alconox I originally used. Anyways after multiple light pbw washes to try and address the white film, my wife recommended vinegar for the stains. After a little vaping last night, I had the bright idea of putting the bubbler in the microwave with the vinegar in it. I microwaved for about 45 seconds until the vinegar started bubbling up. I get it out of the microwave and I swear that my downstem is now deformed. Could the heat from the microwave alone do that to it? Or could it be something in the colored glass that reacted with the microwave? Just wanted to see if it is possible that microwaving vinegar in my piece could have deformed the stem? Or was I just really vaked and never noticed how the stem was deformed before...lol.

Anyways, like I said this was my first rig I bought about two years ago. It wasn't expensive and the 18 mm joint has a small crack in it so this really isn't much of a loss. Not expensive heady glass at all. Just wanted to get some peoples opinion who are more knowledgeable about the subject than I am.

My guess is that you just didn't notice it before. Vinegar can etch glass tho, and would guess even more likely in a microwave. It would take some serious heat (more than 45 secs in an mw) to heat the glass enough for it to bend. And, don't see vinegar causing that too happen much faster - if at all.

Have you let it sit with ISO alcohol in it? Just leave it sitting for a week or so if you can. Another thing I have found works well with stains is Simple Green. Use the concentrated stuff and don't dilute like you are supposed to. You can leave it sitting in there for a week, too. Takes a while to rinse out, but just keep rinsing until there aren't soap bubbles forming. You do have to be careful with PBW. It will leave white marks if on the glass too long. PBW soaking probably isn't a good idea if you are worried at all about appearance.

 

[jrcmang]

Tried pretty much everything. Iso, grunge off, pwb, alconox, and vinegar. Like I said this was my first rig so I wasn't super careful with it and didn't clean it frequently.

This all started after going on a few months without cleaning and daily usage. I decided to pour out the water and do an iso soak. It was dirty but not like super gross. There was this strange film that was on the bottom right under the stem and also some sort of hanging film on the bottom of the stem itself. I also noticed a few small flecks on the bottom that wouldn't come off either. These were still present after like a week long iso soak. Thats when I stumbled upon the pbw thread and subsequently discovered products like alocnox, grunge off, and simple green. Tried em all and got rid of the hanging film on the bottom of the downstem but the film on the base and small particles still remained. Plus I had these white stains on the side from the pwb/alconox. I've since bought new rigs and am now a little ocd about cleaning. Which brings me to the situation I'm in....really didn't need to get it clean I just really wanted to! My wife was giving me a hard time about this....she was like "ugh does it cause any problems function wise...if not I wouldn't worry about some small white film you can see when holding up to the light" But like I said ocd....it was driving me nuts.

Either way, from now on I have a large glass lock container that I have filled with simple green and just let all pieces soak in it overnight. Pull them out the next day and rinse...crystal clean. I am a little concerned about any sort of lingering chemicals in the simple green but I have yet to read anything that scares me enough to go back to iso. They say eco-friendly but i do worry about any long term residual buildup on glass we use to vape out of.